The present invention relates to a carrier unit, or caddy, for a bottled gas, such as oxygen. In particular, the invention relates to a carrier, called "OXY-CADDY" by its inventor, for portable oxygen tanks and resuscitators of the type used by first aid and emergency squads.
Oxygen contained in metal bottles has long been used for medical purposes. Such bottled oxygen is generally taken to the location of the victim of a medical emergency, such as a choking victim or a heart attack victim.
Heretofore, oxygen bottles, or tanks, of the type with which the present invention is used, were carried in various types of rigid carriers. The reason for using rigid carriers has been to afford protection to the cutoff valve which must be installed on the tank in order to deliver oxygen as it is needed. Such carriers have generally been constructed of wood or metal, and as such, they have been relatively heavy and unwieldy.
Some newer carriers are constructed of plastic, in order to cut down on their weight and to provide a carrying handle which allows the oxygen tank to be carried more easily by emergency personnel. However, various problems have been encountered with the plastic carriers. In particular, they require that the emergency personnel devote a hand to hold the oxygen carrier, which prevents them from carrying something else in that hand. In addition, the plastic carriers have not generally held up well in use.
Generally, emergency personnel carry a lot of equipment in addition to oxygen tanks on their ambulances and emergency vehicles. Due to the increased amount of such equipment, which includes cardiac telemetry equipment and drug kits, amonth many other items, it is desirable to provide an oxygen carrier which can be carried by such personnel, yet which still leaves their hands free to carry other items. In addition, an oxygen carrier which protects the valve or regulator at the top of the oxygen tank is desirable.
Finally, multipurpose regulators are now available which provide for the attachment of multiple oxygen delivery means, including demand valves, aspirators, and inhilators. By way of example, a three-way valve of the type described is presently available for Robertshaw Controls Company, Life Support Products Marketing Group, 333 N. Euclid Way, Anaheim, Calif. 92803.
It would be highly desirable to have an oxygen tank carrier which could be carried by emergency personnel which would make each of the aforementioned oxygen delivery means available for instant use and which would allow the emergency personnel to utilize their hands to carry other equipment onto the scene of the emergency. In addition, it would be highly desirable to have such a unit in which the oxygen bottle could be rapidly changed.